The Transfer Tavern

The Tottenham Hotspur fans in the Transfer Tavern are resigned to losing Toby Alderweireld during the summer window and they are desperately hoping that Mauricio Pochettino will secure the signature of a worthy replacement following his departure.

According to the Daily Mirror, Spurs are set to offload Alderweireld, Mousa Dembele, Moussa Sissoko, Fernando Llorente and Danny Rose this summer as part of a major squad overhaul at the club. The departure of Alderweireld has been on the cards for a matter of months with speculation regarding his refusal to sign a contract extension continuing to dominate the headlines, and it seems inevitable that the Belgian international will soon embark on a new challenge.

If that does indeed prove to be the case, Tottenham should pay whatever it takes to fend off competition from plenty of Europe’s heavyweight clubs to secure the signature of Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax. The 18-year-old centre-back is arguably the most promising defender in European football, and his performances for the Dutch giants this season suggest he is destined for greatness in the game.

The fact de Ligt (valued at £22.5 million by Transfermarkt) has already been capped 5 times by the Dutch national side and has captained Ajax speaks volumes about the level of potential he possesses, so Spurs would be foolish to consider replacing Alderweireld with anybody other than the player in question. Physically de Ligt possesses the height, strength and speed which are needed to become a success in English football, whilst his technical ability is typical of an Ajax academy graduate.

De Ligt would join another quality young centre-back in North-London who made the switch from Ajax to Spurs last summer, namely Davinson Sanchez, and the two players could form a formidable partnership in the years to come. Tottenham have enjoyed plenty of success in the past with players who have come through the Ajax academy, so the club should certainly consider signing de Ligt to replace Alderweireld this summer.